There is huge untapped potential when it comes to digital marketing in Iraq. This can be attributed to many factors, some of which include the lack of specialist human resources in digital and social media marketing, the late introduction of technology in Iraq, and the current mindset towards technology in general.

The way social media is used impacts the outcomes of having an online presence. Do we want more customers? Followers? Increased orders? Depending on what the goals are, digital marketing, and social media marketing in particular, can be your best friend or worst enemy.

How Iraqi Businesses Tend to Promote Themselves

Promotions on social media do best when they stem from a strategy and a purpose. The first thing to decide on is a business goal which will help us determine our marketing campaign objectives. As different objectives have different purposes.

In Iraq, marketing on social media gives the impression of being random. There seems to be no real purpose behind what we see in social media advertisements, and no clear content strategy by many businesses that try to adopt social media. It is common to see a social media ad that aims to increase app downloads, but has a button to send a message instead of taking you directly to the app store to download the app. Some businesses might think that engagement objectives are going to increase sales when what they really need is brand awareness.

The Role of Social Media Marketers

Social media marketing professionals are responsible for setting goals, planning, and implementing marketing strategies. The role is essential to business success on digital platforms because the marketer will be responsible for aligning business goals with campaign objectives, and measure the effectiveness of strategies.

Tools and Technologies

There are a range of tools that can be employed to effectively plan, implement, and manage digital marketing and social media strategies. The first thing to know is to understand how a platform works, for example, TikTok focuses on short entertaining videos so a social media marketer would curate their content according to the platform’s specific style and policies.

Second, social media platforms usually have tools integrated into them to better manage business presence such as Meta Business Suite and Meta Ads Manager.

Social Media Strategy and Management

Social Media Marketing is not just paid advertising, rather, it is a mix of branding, communication, content creation, and updates. An account on social media acts as the digital storefront for a business and provides the first impression for Iraqi online users. By knowing user trends in Iraq, businesses can better align their goals to their social media marketing strategy in order to benefit by building brand awareness, increasing consideration and conversion, and staying on top of mind with key people.

How to Become a Professional Social Media Marketer

We are partnering with Meta to deliver their first project in Iraq to help students, professionals, and job seekers in becoming professional social media marketers through the Meta Social Media Marketing Professionals Program.

Whether you’ve been tinkering with social media platforms for your business already or are completely new to the field of digital marketing, you’ve come to the right place. This six-course program, developed by digital marketing experts at Aptly Education together with Meta marketers, includes an industry-relevant curriculum designed to prepare you for an entry-level role in social media marketing.

Upon successful completion of the program, you’ll earn both the Coursera and the Meta Digital Marketing Associate Certification, proving your skills in social media marketing and in the use of Meta Ads Manager.